Player-piano.



J. H. BECK & G. BEDFORD. PLAYER PIANO,

. APPLICATION FILED JAN. 28,1913. 1.08:3,268. Patented Jan. 6, 1914.

2 SHEETS- SHEET l.

J. H. BECK & G. BEDFORD.

PLAYER PIANO.

APPLICATION FILED JAN. 28, 1913.

Patented Jan. 6, 1914.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

. whim w? 1 UNITED STATE .JOSEPH'H. BECK AND GEORGE BEDFQEB, 6F NET/V YORK, N. Y.

PLAYER-PIANO.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that we, JOSEPH H. BEoK and Gnonen BEDFORD, being citizens of the United States, said JOSEPH H. BEoK residing at No.

99 Bradford street and said GEORGE BED- FORD residing at No. 273 Eldert-street, in the borough of Brooklyn, county of Kings, city and State of New York, have invented a new and useful Player-Piano, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to player pianos and has for its chief object to provide for operating the screen, the key slip and the panels by turning a single handle, thereby obviating the necessity of several distinct" movements.

To this end, the said invention consists in the construction and combination ofparts hereinafter more particularly set forth and claimed.

In the accompanying drawings: Figure 1 represents a side elevation of a player piano in open position; Fig. 2 represents a similar view in closed position; Fig. 3 represents a perspective rear view of the mechanism. as in Fig. 1; and'Fig. 4 represents a detail side view of the screen, enlarged, in the positions of Fi slandS.

A esignates the handle which is mounted on, and preferably integral with, one end of a horizontal rock shaft or rocking rod A, mounted in fixed bearings a a on the front of the casing of the instrument, said shaft or rod being provided at the other end with an arm turning therewith, A This arm is connected by a long approximately vertical,

downwardly extending link B to a bell crank lever c, which is connected to pedals D by a long extension of one of the arms 0 of said lever. The effect of turning handle A and rock shaft or rod A so as to lower .link B is to fold said pedals into the ma chine, taking the positions shown in Fig. 2. This movement is accelerated by the'retrac tive action of spring B attached to link B and tending to draw down the latter.

A link E is connected at its lower end to the lower end of link B and carries at its upper end a roller E bearing against the under side of downwardly turning hinged lower panel G to support the same. The descent of the links B E of course permits the panel G to descend, so that it will close the opening below it, following theentrance of the pedals as above stated into the piano casing and exhibiting the lower movable Specification of Letters Patent.

' Application filed January 28, 1913. Serial No. 744,74.

The panel G is hinged to a fixed regularity of action, the following actuating Patented Jan. 6, 1914:,

panel of this piano casing in a vertically suspended closed position. A rearward link F extends from .the middle of link E rearward to a bellows Z and serves to retain said link E in. position during its movement. panel G of the instrument casing. A short arm H on rod A near its operating end is connected by a small links 5 rod I to an arm J of a vertical rock shaft or rod K passing up through the key-bed. This rock shaft hasabove said key-bed an arm L connected by link N to the rear end of a longitudinally movabk bar M, the rear end of said bar being connected to pivoted key-slip P so that it may draw-the latter over and upward, closing the key-slip when the handle A is turned so as to turn rockshaft K through connections above described, while depressing link B, as first explained. The elements K to O inclusive act I on said keyslip at one end thereof, as shown in Fig. 3. To prevent friction and insure devices are provided (see Fig. for the other end of the key-slip: The arm H has a second link rod V much longer than link rod 8 and extending in the opposite direction nearly to the end of the key bed where it is connected to one a, of a small lever Y pivoted at its mid 1e to a bracket on the bottom of the key-bg i, the other arm of said lover being connected by a link W to the of rock shaft Y, :rhe latter being ii to K in constrnction, arrangement ction; having connections for oplinlt O similar t those above described. Bock shaft or rod extends up to the sliding upper panels I i for the purpose of permitting tl eir automatic closure the act' .211 spring which is att ched at one end to the frame or casing of the instrinnent and at the other end to a lever iii, which is connected by along link rod T to another lever S of similar function, so that both may act togethei these being connected to their sli .n links R and S. Shaft K h end which, as shown in Figs. 1, 2 in contact with a beveled on the outer side of the lower end of said lever S near one of said panels.- "When turned in one direction the said bent endacts through parts S, S, T, B. and B. to slide said panels Z away from each other into the open position shown in Fig. l i hen turned in the other it S direction it permits spring Q. to reverse this movement through the same connections,

thereby closing the said panels. The beveled v ward when the mechanism is in position to operate. It is closed by the downward pressure of pedals l) they are folded into the piano. Thus by a single movement of handle'A the pedals are folded in, the screen is folded down, the lower panel is closed, the

key slip is closed; and the upper panel is freed fi'ir closing, which automatically and in'nnediately follows by spring action. When handle A is turned the other way the action. of the rock shafts, links levers and other connections is of course reversed, opening tl upper and lower panels, the key slip is turned forward and downward, opening; the same. the pedals are extruded, taking their proper position for use, and the screen is freed, to permit the action of the spring hinge U, which immediately raises the screen. Thus av single movement makes a complete closure of the instrument and a single reverse movement opens it.

The upper section 1 of the instrument casing containing the upper panels Z may he removed without disturbing the lower parts of the instrument. There are no screws to be removed nor any other fastening of this section to the body of the casing below it.

Having thus described our invention, what we claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

i. In combinat on with a player piano casing, a sliding upper panel, a spring acting to close the same, a rod adapted to turn on itsaxis for opening said'panel and holding the same open or for freeing said panel so that it may close, according to the direction in which said rod is turned, a hinged key-slip, connections between said slip and aid rod whereby the turning of said rod raises said key-slip or lowers it according to direction, a handle distinct from said key slip, a rock-shaft operated by said handle, and connections whereby said rock-shaft turns said rod substantially as set forth.

2.111 combination with a player-piano :asing and itshinged and suspended lower panel, pedals adapted to be folded within said casing or caused to protrude beyond the same for use at will, a spring-lifted hinged screen positioned to be folded down by said pedals as they enter said casing and to rise automatically as they are withdrawn, an actuating handle and rockshaft, an arm actuated by said shaft for raising said lovier panel and connections between said shaft. and said pedals for moving them outward or drawing them inward substantially as set forth.

3. In combination with a playernano casing, the automatically closing uppe' and lower panels and screen used therewith, pedals mounted for movement into and out of the said casing positioned to lower said screen when drawn into said casing and to be protected by the lower panel when the latter is closed, a handle, a rock-shaft actuated thereby, connections from said shaft to said pedals for drawing them into the easing or protruding them at will, an arm actualed by said shaft for raising said lower panel to permit the exit of said pedals, a hinged key-slip and. devices operated by said shaft to raise and lower said slip and open said upper panel or free itfor closing, in order that a single movement of said Landlemay cause the entire opening or closing of said player-piano substantially as set forth.

JOSEPH .H. BECK. GEORGE BEDFORD.

' \Vitnesses:

Pn'rna Bron, Josnrn 15.. Koneniinn. 

